Casing puller and method of pulling alpha casing



7 Oct. 3, 1933.

G. J. CARR 1,929,055

CASING FULLER AND METHOD OF PULLING A CASING Filed July 3, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l INKENTOR.

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ATTORN YS.

Oct. 3, 1933- J. CARR 1,929,055

CASING FULLER AND METHOD OF PULLING A CASING Filed July 3, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

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Patented on. 3, 1933 l 1,929,055

* UNlTED STATES PATVENT-I'OFFICE CASING PULLER AND METHOD or PULLING A CASING George J. Carr, San Francisco, Calif.

Application July 3, 1933. Serial No. 678,916

4 Claims. (Cl. 254-40) This invention relates to a method and appadrill rope to the rig and the mechanism actuating ratus for pulling casings such as used in well the same subjecting it to unnecessary wear and drilling, prospecting, etc. tear.

Modern prospecting of mineralized areas, for The object of the present invention is to geninstance gold paying placer deposits, embodies erally improve and simplify the construction and 60 the use of a portable drill rig usually of the drop operation of tools of the character described; to or churn drill type. This workinvolves the drivprovide a method and apparatus for removing a ing of a test casing with a cutting shoe on the casing whereby the only strain transmitted to lower end through the alluvial deposits down to the rope, the rig and the mechanism actuating bed rock; the purpose being to locate the gold thesame is limited to that required to lift the 65 bearing sand or gravel deposits, the depth or weight of the rope and tools attached thereto; thickness of the deposits, the area covered and to provide hydraulic means for transmitting a the average gold content per cubic yard. When constant lift or pull on the casing; to provide a a hole is finished and the prospect has been made resilient lifting member between the jacks and the casing is pulled as it can be used over and the casing which is adapted to be sprung or ten- 70 over again. As a rule drill holes of this charsioned by means of the jacks; and further, to acter are not very deep and the casing can usuprovide a resilient lifting'member which may be ally be easily removed but where the alluvial desubjected to a jarring action to loosen or free the posits are fairly deep, for instance'one hundred casing. feet, or so, the casing often sticks and is removed The invention 'is' shown by way of illustration 75 with great difliculty, if at all. Difierent methods in the accompanying drawings, in whichof pulling a casing are employed. In one method Fig. 1 is a side elevationof the forward end a knocking head is attached to the upper end of of a; portable drill rig, said view also showing the the casing and a pipe jar is connected with a manner in'which the jacks and resilient lifting 25.drill stem in place of a bit. The walking beam member are applied-to the casing to pull the 801':

to which the drill rope and jarring tools is atsame. v tached is the seat of operation and the up and Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. l, and down movement is utilized-to drive or in the Fig. 3 is a front view showing the jacks and casing loose, the jar or striking blow being in an the resilient lifting mechanism applied to the upward direction. casing. 85 i Another method employed is that of using a Referring tothe drawings in detail, A indicates spear. This is dropped down intothe casing toa test casing, such as employed when prosward the lower end and thereby expanded to pec'ting' mineralized areas, etc., 2 indicates the grip the casing. A string of jarring tools are intyne f p i mpl for uplin h sterposed between the spear and the drill rope ing s ns, 3 pul i h ad t s u e and 9 and when the walking beam is set in operation g p the ca as it is being lifted, a d 4 a an upward blow or jar is obtained to free and Standard m of driving head- Pulling pull the casing. 1 head is, in this instance, shown as supported by There are objections to both methods. When a p f im 5-5 of n i e e len h. a, knocking-head is employed a, constant jar tends These timbers are spread apart a suflicient dis- .I

to strip the threads in the casing couplings; also, fiance t0 straddle t e casing and th ut in view of the fact that the length of casing secends are supp by 01088 timbers and tions mployed is usually uniform t same or 3 these are, in turn, supported by hydraulic jacks similar length of drill rope will re i 11 t of suitable construction generally indicated at 45 j strain, wear and tear. When a spear and jarring tools are employed Mounted on the drill rig is a p pu p there is a tendency to swell or expand the casing 9 w h may be P by an eccentnc P, at thepoint where the spear is attached and if other Sultable means The p p is that happens the casing is ruined Also, if t provided with a check valve controlled inlet 11 50 mm r pe Should break th rope'win l down and a check valve controlled outlet or disj into the casing and thereby necessitates a fishing Charge The in check is connected through operation a pipe 14 with a supply tank 15, and the outlet The main objection to either method is that or dis har check is connected w pip s 6. the entire weight of the casing and the force re- 17 and 18. Pipe 16 is connected by means of A quired to jar it loose is transferred through the a Pai of xib e ose 111185 19 a d 20 with 1101 the respective jacks, indicated at 7, and valves 21 are placed on these lines to regulate the flow of fluid to the jacks. Pipe 18 functions as a return to the tank 15. Pipe 17 carries a relief valve 22 which may be regulated to maintain any pressure desired. The relief valve connects with a return 18 and if oil or any other fluid medium employed is .being by-passedit will be returned to the tank., A valve 23 is placed at the point shown. This valve is normally closed when the jacks are being elevated but itis opened when the jacks are to be lowered, as will hereinafter be described. l

In actual operation when a test hole has been completed, that is, when the casing shoe reaches bed rock and the prospecting ofthe material contained therein has been completed, it is desirable to remove the casing so that'- it may be utilized for another test hole. In the present instance this is accomplished by placing a stand ard form of pull head 3 atthe upper end of the casing, as shown in Fig. 1, and by supporting the pull head through means of the timbers indicated at 55, 6-6 and the jacks 7--7. A driving head is placed on the extreme upper end of thecasing and a'driving clamp is'attached to the drill stem-as indicated at 25. After the casing is free it is only necessary ,to start the pump and to direct the oil or othenfluidl medium contained in the tank 15 through the hose connections 19' and; 20 tothe respective jacks. These will-raise and as they raise they will elevate the timbers and the pull head 3, together with the casing A gripped by the same,

and when the jacks have reached the-limit of their stroke it is only necessary to open the valve 23 so as to permit the pistons and the jacks to returnto; their lowermost position, this being accomplished automatically as the weight of the timbers and the pull head is sufiicient for that purpose. The moment the pull head and pistons reach their lowermost position valve 23 is again closed and fluid under pressure is thus again admitted to: the jacks to again liftor pull the 3 casing This operation is continued until the lower end of the first casing section is reached. This is then unscrewed and so is the coupling and the drive head 4 is removed and replaced on the-end of the next casing section. This operation is continued as long as the casing is.

free and can be readily lifted with the jacks but if it sticks or jams it is only necessary to start the walking beam was to impart a reciprocal motion to the drill rope and the tools attached. The jackswill under this .condition. exert their maximum pressure at the ends of,

thereto.

the timbers 5 and as they are of considerable length, as shown in Fig. 3, there will be a tendency to spring them as indicated by dotted lines. This bending on springing of the timbers will cause a pull or' lift to be imparted to thecasing and if the casing is at the same time struck or jarred by the driving. clamp there will be.

a tendency to jar the casing loose andI-to. lift or pull it in an upward direction. The interposing of the flexible or resilient timbers or lifting members between the jacks and the pull head 3 is of great importanceas it permits a continuous pull or lift to beapplied to the casing and at the same time permits the casing to be subjected to hammer or jarring action so as to jar it loose. This method has been found very effectivein actual practice and by its use,

.the casing driven down a little further.

the tools employed are a drill bit and a drill stem. When the material at the bottom has been drilled out a sand pump or the like is lowered 'and'the freed material removed, thereafter the drivingclamp is attached to the drill stem and The clamp is then removed and the bit lowered down to drilling position and when the hole is finally completed it is unnecassiry to change the tools when pulling the casing 'as the only part of the tools employed'is' the driving clamp which can be quickly attached or removed as required.

While the casing pulling mechanism has been described in conjunction'with the pulling of a casing, it is obvious that it'may be employed for pulling drill pipe and for any other similar purposes, and while certain features of the invention are more or less specifically described, I wish it understood that various changes may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims. Similarly, that the materials and finish of the several parts employed may be such as the manufacturer may decide, or varying conditions or uses may demand.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. A method of releasing and pulling casing of the character described which consists in attaching aresilient member to the casing, applying a lifting force to the casing through the resilient member, and subjecting the casing to a jarring action while a lifting force isbeing exerted.

'2. A method of releasing'and pulling a casing of the character described which consists in attaching an elongated resilient member to the casing midway of its 'ends, applying'a lifting force to the opposite ends of the resilient member, and subjecting'the casing to a jarring action while a lifting force is being exerted.

3. A device for releasing and pulling casing comprising a pair or lifting jacks adapted to be disposed one on each side of the casing, a resilient member straddling the casing and supported at opposite ends by the jacks, said resilient member being engageable'with a pulling head on r the casing, and means for actuating the jacks to I impart an upward thrust on theresilient "member and the pullinghead.

4.'A device for releasing and pulling casing comprising a pair of lifting jacks adapted to be disposed one on each side of the casing, a cross timber'supported by each lifting jack, a pair of elongated timbers placed one on each side of the casing and supported at opposite ends by the cross timbers and the respective lifting jacks. said elongated timbers engaging a pulling head on the casing midway of their length, and means for actuating the jacks to impart an upward thrust on the elongated timbers and the pulling head engaged thereby.

GEORGE J. CARR. 

